MIC annual report (Jan 05) #3426_v4.qxd - Mallesons

Pro bono advice on contractual arrangementsand obligationsDuring the past year we have provided charities withfree legal advice on contractual arrangements andobligations, intellectual property, and technology. Someexamples follow.• Lawyers in our Sydney office advised the Raising ChildrenNetwork when it was appointed under the StrongerFamilies and Communities "Invest to Grow" initiative todevelop and manage a national parenting informationwebsite. The Raising Children Network is anincorporated joint venture between the Smart PopulationFoundation, the Victorian Parenting Centre and theCentre for Community Child Health of the MurdochChildren's Research Institute. We advised on commercialarrangements to establish the network, on the fundingagreement with the Commonwealth government andon other agreements to get the website operational,including agreements for acquisition of website content.• Some of our Melbourne lawyers assisted the DeafnessFoundation Victoria to protect its trade marks,including its name "Deafness Foundation" and thename of its major fundraiser, "Butterfly BadgeCampaign". We secured registration for some of theFoundation's trade marks, including its butterfly logo.We hope to secure registration for the others, onceevidence of their exclusive and extensive use is filedand considered.• Our Brisbane office advised the Management Committeeof SIDS and Kids Queensland Inc on a Memorandum ofAgreement proposed between it and the National SIDSCouncil of Australia Limited. Our advice primarilycovered a licence of trade marks (most notably thoserelating to Red Nose Day and the SIDS and Kids brand)presented by the National SIDS Council of AustraliaLimited. Our lawyers recommended amendments tothe Memorandum before it is signed by SIDS and KidsQueensland Inc.• Lawyers in our Sydney office are reviewing a serviceagreement under which the Australian Federationof AIDS Organisations (AFAO) is providing funds forthe Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organisationsto establish a training program to strengthen theadvocacy, leadership capacity and skills of peoplein HIV community organisations in selected AsiaPacific countries.During the past year we have provided charities with free advice on contractual arrangementsand obligations, intellectual property, and technology.10